The local authorities in Ezo County, Western Equatoria State, have arrested several youths as part of a crackdown on idleness, loitering, and petty crime.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Ezo County Commissioner Abel Sudan said the move aims to engage young people in productive activities and reduce dependency, theft, and disorder in the community.
“This order was passed to ensure our youth are engaged in meaningful activities,” he explained. “We have been emphasizing to our people that nation-building is the responsibility of every citizen, not just the authorities, traditional leaders, or churches. Young people must also take part.”
According to the commissioner, the directive was introduced in March to encourage youths to farm, attend school, or engage in business.
“The core message is: do not wait for someone to tell you what to do for your future, take action today to secure your success tomorrow,” he said. “We began implementation on Monday, and we are now identifying it to assign them (youth) meaningful work and give them the opportunity to earn a living.”
According to Sudan, the arrests followed reports from local leaders about young people loitering and causing disturbances.
For his part, Martin Yasona, the Paramount Chief of Ezo County’s Central Payam, told this publication that the initiative was agreed upon by community leaders and the county government.
“We have many idle youths who are neither working nor attending school. Together with the community leaders, we decided to intervene by arresting them and offering them options to work, learn a trade, or go back to school,” he said. “We want to know who is willing to go back to school, who can join farming, or who needs help finding shelter.”
The chief explained that authorities are screening the detained youths to determine the best path for each of them, in consultation with their parents.
Meanwhile, Cosmos Boniface, a local youth, described the operation as necessary.
“Yesterday (Monday), the payam and county authorities arrested youths who do not even have land or a place to stay,” he disclosed. “Some were living in overcrowded conditions, which is why they were picked up.”
Boniface emphasized that rather than imposing fines, the government should focus on helping youths become self-reliant.
“If someone has no garden, let them work on a farm. If they do not have a house, let them make bricks or build,” he stated. “That is the real solution, and the government should guide them in this direction.”
The initiative has sparked discussions within the community about youth responsibility, unemployment, and the role of local authorities in addressing social challenges.